Panel member

ABSTRACT

A panel member ( 110 ) is provided for a wall structure ( 105 ) including a first surface ( 112 ) and a second surface ( 114 ) spaced from the first surface, at least one rib member ( 116 ) extending between the first and second surfaces, a first end member ( 120 ) and a second end member ( 122 ) each extending between the first and second surfaces, substantially parallel with the at least one rib member, so as to form at least two channels ( 118 ) between the first and second surfaces. The first end member has a male connector ( 150 ) extending therefrom and the second end member has a female connector ( 152 ) formed therein. The male and female connectors are each configured to be complementary, such that the male connector of the panel member is able to be received within a female connector of another panel member to facilitate connection of adjacent panel members to form the wall structure.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority from Australian ProvisionalPatent Application No. 2011900189 filed on 21 Jan. 2011, the contents ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a panel member for use in theconstruction of buildings, walls and the like. More particularly, thepresent invention relates to a multi-purpose panel member formed in amanner and having sufficient strength and impact resistant propertiesfor use across a variety of applications.

BACKGROUND ART

There exist a variety of pre-fabricated panels for use in buildingstructures and the like. Most such pre-fabricated panels are made fromconcrete, cement sheeting, wood or the like, that are positioned duringthe construction of a structure and secured in place.

Many structures have walls, both interior and exterior, that have thepotential to experience various degrees of impact, depending on thespecific application for which the structure is used. Such impact mayresult from people, animals, vehicles, machinery and the like contactingthe surfaces of the wall with varying degrees of force. Depending on thestructure of the wall, sufficient impact forces can cause damage to thewall which can have a particular displeasing aesthetic effect on thebuilding structure. Further, due to the rigid nature of mostprefabricated walls used in building construction, any sufficientcontact with the wall can cause damage or harm to the person, animal,vehicle or the like that may cause such impact.

In the field of animal management, in particular the handling of horsesand the like, it is of considerable importance to accommodate a horse ina safe, controlled environment. This is particularly the case in thefield of horse racing where horses are valuable commodities and areprepared and trained to high levels with significant care and expertise,and at significant cost. In such instances, horses are typicallyaccommodated in stables whilst undergoing training to reduce injury andto control their feed intake and behaviour. Hence it is important thatwhen a race horse is stabled, the likelihood of injury to the horse isreduced.

Typically, most stables constructed to accommodate race horses and thelike employ timber or a combination of timber and steel sheeting, suchas that sold under the trade mark Colorbond® by BluScope Steel Limited.As a result, the walls of such stables are relatively rigid and offerlittle in the way of impact absorption or impact resistance. As horses,in particular thoroughbred race horses, have a tendency to kick when inclosed confines or when agitated, stable walls may be regularly damagedwhich can be costly in terms of replacing such walls and may result inthe stable becoming aesthetically displeasing. Further, due to the rigidnature of the walls of most stables, should a horse kick withsignificant force, the horse may become injured due to the force of theimpact, or due to the wall becoming damaged and cutting the animal. Thiscould have serious detrimental impact on the career of a race horse.

As a result there is a need to provide a wall structure that can beemployed in a variety of instances where impact load against the wall islikely. Such a wall structure provides significant resistance to damageoccurring to the wall as well as provides a degree of impact absorption.

There is also a need to provide a panel member that has a structure andweight that is easy to install to form a wall in a quick and efficientmanner.

The above references to and descriptions of prior proposals or productsare not intended to be, and are not to be construed as, statements oradmissions of common general knowledge in the art. In particular, theabove prior art discussion does not relate to what is commonly or wellknown by the person skilled in the art, but assists in the understandingof the inventive step of the present invention of which theidentification of pertinent prior art proposals is but one part.

STATEMENT OF INVENTION

The invention according to one or more aspects is as defined in theindependent claims. Some optional and/or preferred features of theinvention are defined in the dependent claims.

According to a first aspect, there is provided a panel member for a wallstructure comprising:

-   -   a first surface;    -   a second surface spaced from said first surface;    -   at least one rib member extending between said first surface and        said second surface;    -   a first end member and a second end member, each of said first        end member and said second end member extending between said        first surface and said second surface substantially parallel        with the at least one rib member so as to form at least two        channels between said first surface and said second surface;        wherein    -   the first end member has a male connector member extending        therefrom and the second end member has a female connector        formed therein, the male connector member and the female        connector member being configured to be complementary such that        the male connector member of the panel member is able to be        received within a female connector of an adjacent panel member        to facilitate connection of adjacent panel members to form said        wall structure.

In one embodiment, the male connector member and the female connectormay extend substantially longitudinally along a length of the first endmember and the second end member. The male connector member may beconfigured so as to be inserted into said female connector so as toengage therewith.

The male connector member may comprise at least one ridge member thatprojects laterally from at least one side thereof, the at least oneridge member may be configured to create an interference fit with anopening of the female connector to facilitate engagement therebetween.The engagement created between the opening of the female connector andthe ridge member of the male connector member may substantially preventwithdrawal of the male connector member from the female connector uponthe application of a lateral removal force applied transverse to thelongitudinal length of the panel members.

The male connector member may comprise at least one wing member thatprojects laterally from at least one side thereof, the at least one ringmember may be configured to create an interference fit with an openingof the female connector to facilitate engagement therebetween. The atleast one wing member may be slidingly received within the opening ofthe female connector, such that the engagement between the at least onewing member and the opening of the female connector may substantiallyprevent withdrawal of the male connector member from the femaleconnector upon the application of a lateral removal force appliedtransverse to the longitudinal length of the panel members.

In another embodiment, the first and second surfaces may besubstantially planar and have a corrugation formed thereon defining aseries of interconnected peaks and troughs.

The panel member may be made from an extrusion process. The panel membermay be made from high density polyethylene (HPDE).

In a preferred embodiment, two channels are formed between the firstsurface and the second surface.

In one embodiment, the wall structure formed by two or moreinterconnecting panel members may form part of a building structure.

In another embodiment, the wall structure formed by two or moreinterconnecting panel members may be a retaining wall.

In yet another embodiment, the wall structure formed by two or moreinterconnecting panel members may be a water wall capable of receivingand retaining water in the at least two channels. The water wall maycomprise a plurality of panel members fluidly interconnected tofacilitate flow of water between the at least two channels of adjacentpanel members. One or more of the panel members of the water wall may beconfigured to receive water from a water source. The water source may bea rainwater or wastewater collection reservoir.

Accordingly, in another aspect of the invention there is provided apanel member for a building structure comprising:

-   -   a first substantially planar surface;    -   a second substantially planar surface; and    -   a plurality of longitudinal ribs extending between the first and        second substantially planar surfaces to form a plurality of        longitudinally extending channels therebetween;    -   wherein the first and second substantially planar surfaces and        the plurality of longitudinal ribs are formed integrally by an        extrusion process.

In a preferred embodiment, the panel is made from high densitypolyethylene (HPDE). The panel may alternatively made from anyextrudable polymeric materials, including elastomeric materials.

According to one embodiment, the first and second substantially planarsurfaces have a corrugation formed thereon defining a series ofinterconnected peaks and troughs across the surface thereof. The ribsmay extend in a parallel manner across a width of the first and secondplanar surfaces and the corrugation may be formed on the surface of thefirst and second planar surfaces to extend perpendicular with respect tothe ribs.

Each channel may have a substantially rectangular cross section formedbetween adjacent ribs and opposing inner surfaces of the first andsecond substantially planar surfaces. Each channel may extend between anupper end and a lower end of the panel member. The plurality oflongitudinally extending channels may extend between opposing lateraledges of the panel member.

The opposing lateral edges of the panel member may be configured tofacilitate engagement or connection with a corresponding lateral edge ofan adjacent panel member. The opposing lateral edges of the panel membermay be configured to facilitate interengagement between adjacent panelmembers to form a wall structure. The wall structure may form part of abuilding structure. Alternatively, the wall structure may be a retainingwall.

In one embodiment, the wall is a water wall capable of receiving andretaining water. The water wall may comprise a plurality of panelmembers fluidly interconnected to facilitate flow of water between panelmembers. One or more of the panel members of the water wall may beconfigured to receive water from a water source. The water source may bea rainwater or wastewater collection reservoir.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be better understood from the following non-limitingdescription of preferred embodiments, in which:

FIG. 1 is perspective view of a panel member in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of a preferred embodiment of the panel member ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of an alternative embodiment of the panel member ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top view of an alternative embodiment of the panel member ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a structure employing the panel memberof FIG. 1 in accordance with a preferred embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a top view of an embodiment of a connection means forconnecting adjacent panels in a structure;

FIG. 7 is a top view of another embodiment of a connection means forconnecting adjacent panels in a structure;

FIG. 8 is a top view of the embodiment of a connection means of FIG. 7having a top cap provided thereon;

FIG. 9 is a top view of an embodiment of the panels configured forabutment;

FIG. 10 is a top view of an alternative embodiment of the panelsconfigured for abutment;

FIG. 11 is a top view of an embodiment of a corner section of a buildingstructure employing the panel members of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a top view of an alternative embodiment of a corner sectionof a building structure employing the panel members of FIG. 1;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the panel members of the presentinvention arranged in an embodiment where they form a wall for thepurpose of handling and/or storing water;

FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of the wall of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an embodiment employing the panelmembers of the present invention in a retaining wall application;

FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view of the wall of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 shows a top view of an embodiment of the invention showing thepanel members connected by way of a keyed joint;

FIG. 18 shows a perspective view of a panel member according to yetanother embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 19 shows a top view of the panel member of FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 shows an isolated top view of an alternative embodiment of amale connector member of the panel member of FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 shows a perspective view of a partial wall structure comprisinga plurality of the panel members of FIG. 18 arranged in abuttingfashion;

FIG. 22 shows a front perspective view of the wall structure of FIG. 21with a panel member partially assembled;

FIG. 23 shows a front perspective view of an alternative wall structurearrangement with the panel members arranged in a horizontal manner;

FIG. 24 shows a top view of the wall structure of FIG. 21; and

FIG. 25 shows a front view of a wall structure of FIG. 21.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred features of the present invention will now be described withparticular reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it is to beunderstood that the features illustrated in and described with referenceto the drawings are not to be construed as limiting on the scope of theinvention.

The present invention will be described in relation to its applicationfor use in horse stables to prevent injury to horses and damage tostable walls. However, it will be appreciated that the present inventionhas application to a variety of uses other than stables, such as horsefloats and exterior walls for pens and corral, as well as othernon-animal related applications as will be apparent by those skilled inthe art.

Referring to FIG. 1, a wall structure 5 in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention is shown. Wall structure 5 comprisesa plurality of panel members 10 arranged in an abutting manner to form asubstantially planar rectangular wall structure having a pair ofopposing wall surfaces 12, 14.

FIG. 2 shows a top view of a preferred embodiment of a section of thewall structure 5 of FIG. 1, namely a panel member 10 having a pluralityof ribs 16 provided between the opposing surfaces 12, 14 which extend ina parallel manner longitudinally along the panel member 10. As isevident from the figures, the ribs 16 that are located at the edges ofthe panel member 10 act to form an edge of the panel 10, to assist inarranging panels in an abutting nature during assembly, as will bedescribed in more detail below.

It will be appreciated that, when formed, the panel member 10 comprisesa plurality of hollow channels 18 that extend in a parallel manner alongthe length of the panel 10 and resultant wall structure 5. Each rib 16is separated a distance “X” from an adjacent rib 16 such that eachchannel 18 is substantially identical in form and structure whencompared to an adjacent channel of the panel member 10. In a preferredform, the distance “X” is around 60 mm, however, other distances arealso envisaged depending the specific application of use of the panel10.

Each channel 18 is defined by an adjacent pair of ribs 16, each of whichhave a substantially straight or flat surface and a pair of opposed endwalls 19, that each have a concave configuration with respect to theinner region of the channel 18. Due to the configuration of the endwalls 19, the surfaces 12 and 14 of the panel member 10, and resultantwall structure 5, take on a substantially corrugated configurationdefined by a series of peaks and troughs extending over the surfaces 12,14 of the panel member 10, as is shown in FIG. 1.

The width “Z” of the panel member 10 at the edges thereof is defined bythe ribs 16. Due to the concave structure of the end walls 19 of eachchannel 18, the width of the panel member 10 changes across the breadthof the panel member 10 to a maximum width “Y” located at a central pointof each channel 18, as is shown in FIG. 2. In a preferred form, themaximum width “Y” of the panel 10 is around 70 mm, but may vary between50-80 mm with the width “Z” at the edge of the panel 10 being around 64mm, but which may vary between 40-70 mm. Such an arrangement defines thecorrugation of the surfaces 12, 14 having a trough-to-peak distance ofaround 3 mm, but which may vary between 2-8 mm. It will be appreciatedthat the above dimensions are only illustrative of a preferredembodiment and are not limiting to the present invention.

Each panel 10 is manufactured from an extrusion process to ensure thateach panel 10 has a continuous, repeatable shape. In this regard, eachpanel 10 is made from high density polyethylene (HDPE) which is amaterial having good tensile strength and impact resistance and is lowin cost. Such a material also enables extrusion, to ensure that thepanels are able to adopt a continuous 2D profile. The material may betreated with fire retardant material to improve the fire rating of thewall thus constructed.

In a preferred form, the width “W” of the walls of the ribs 16 and thesurfaces 12 and 14 are substantially uniform, preferably around 5 mm,however other widths or thicknesses are also envisaged. It will beappreciated that the panel members 10 of the present invention may bemade from any extrudable polymeric materials including elastomericmaterials and still fall within the spirit of the present invention.Further, it will be appreciated that rather than the panel member 10 ofthe present invention being made from a single material, the panelmember may be made from a plurality of materials by way of co-extrusionmanufacturing techniques. In such an arrangement, the surfaces 12, 14 ofthe panel member 10 may be formed to have different material propertiesand may be made from materials with different colour characteristics.Alternatively a separate material may be coextruded over the surfaces12, 14 of the panel member following or during formation of the panelmember 10 to provide form a variety of purposes, such as additional UVprotection. Other applications of such coextrusion practices envisagethe extrusion of a small seal in a region of the panel member wherepanels join together to facilitate sealed connection of panels for suchpurposes as water storage and retention, as will be discussed in moredetail below.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, there are shown profiles of alternativeembodiments of the panel member 10. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3,rather then the channels 18 being formed between two opposing concaveend walls 19, the channel 18 is formed between a concave end wall and aconvex end wall. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the channels 18 ofthe panel 10 have a substantially rectangular shape with the end walls19 being predominately straight. In this embodiment, the end walls 19are stepped or offset from an end wall of an adjacent channel 18 to forman outer surface 12, 14 of the panel 10 having a stepped configuration.It will be appreciated that other configurations of how the channels 18may be constructed are also envisaged.

The embodiment of the panel member 10 shown in FIG. 2 is a preferredembodiment, as it has been found that the outward corrugation of thesurfaces 12, 14 of the panel 10 provide particular benefits in relationto impact resistance and impact absorption. As the peaks of thecorrugation are the first to experience contact in an impact situation,such as a situation when a horse's hoof contacts the surface 12, 14 ofthe panel 10, the corrugated nature of the design allows the walls 19 ofeach channel 18 to absorb some of the initial impact load as it deflectsbefore the load is transferred into the main ribs 16 of the panel 10. Asthe main ribs 16 of the panel 10 have a maximum depth of around 70 mm,this provides significant resistance to further deflection of thepanels, as may occur between support posts of a building structure.

Such an arrangement has an ability to reduce the effects of impactinjury to the horse as well as maintaining the structural integrity ofthe panel member 10. Further, the corrugated nature of the panel membersresembles a more conventional corrugated sheeting surface that istypically used in horse stables and provides an aesthetic look thatresembles conventional materials.

It will be appreciated that the panel members 10 may be formed to assumeany desired sizes and dimensions. For instance, the panel members may beformed in a variety of standard sizes in accordance with their intendeduse. In this regard, the panel members 10 may be formed in sizes havingwidths ranging from 150 mm-2400 mm and heights or lengths ranging from60 mm-2400 mm. It will be appreciated that due to the manufacturingmethod of extruding the panels, the sizes in which the panels 10 areformed can be varied quite simply.

Referring to FIG. 5 there is shown an embodiment of a horse stable 20incorporating the panel members 10 of the present invention. In thisfigure, for reasons of clarity, the panels 10 are shown as a singlepanel having a flat surface. However, as will be appreciated by thediscussion above, each panel 10 depicted may comprises a plurality ofindividual panels abutted together, with each panel having the texturedor corrugates surface as previously discussed.

As is shown, in the structure 20, the panel members 10 are assembled toform a periphery of the structure. The structure 20 comprises a roof 21that is supported atop four walls. The front wall comprises a door 22that permits access to and from the interior of the structure 20. Theupper region of the front wall may be typically formed in an open mannerto facilitate access of light and air into the interior of the structureand may comprise open bars 23 as shown. The lower region of the frontwall is formed from the panels 10 of the present invention. In thisregard, the panels 10 are provided in the regions of the structure 20where a horse may kick, should the horse become agitated or the like.

In this regard, the surfaces 12, 14 of the panels 10 form the insidesurface and exterior surface of the structure respectively. It will beappreciated that the structure 20 may also be configured such that anexternal skin may be provided over the panels 10, depending uponaesthetic requirements and cost issues. In the instances where thepanels 10 also function as the exterior surface of the structure 20,such as is shown in FIG. 5, the HDPE material of the panels 10 mayinclude UV stabilizers and may be coloured in accordance with userrequirements. This will add to the natural capacity of HDPE to exhibitexceptional weathering properties.

As individual panel members 10 are constructed to have a commonconfiguration, in order to join adjacent panel members 10 in a structurea simple H-beam system as shown in FIG. 7 may be employed. In thisembodiment of the invention, the width of the panels 10 is sufficientsuch that the edges of the panels abut against the webbing of the H-beam25 in the manner as shown. An alternative embodiment for joiningadjacent panels 10 is shown in FIG. 6. In this embodiment the sameconcept of employing an H-beam 25 is shown with the exception being thata rebate is formed on the outer surface 12, 14 of the panels 10 toprovide a flush fitting with the H-beam 25. Such an arrangement mayprovide a more aesthetically pleasing connection between adjacent panelsand the rebate may be incorporated into the extrusion process. In anyregard, the inherent structure of the panels provides for a simple meansfor connecting adjacent panel members 10 together by way of a structuralmember such as an H-beam 25. The H-beam is also able to provide supportfor the panel members 10 along the edges thereof. As is shown in FIG. 8,in order to provide optional aesthetic benefits a cap member 26 may befitted over the H-beam 25, as desired. Whilst the panel member 10 isshown having a straight surface 12, 14 for sake of simplicity, it willbe appreciated that the surfaces may be contoured in the manner as shownin FIGS. 1 and 2.

It will also be appreciated that the extruded nature of the panelmembers 10 enables a variety of different options for interlocking theedges of adjacent panels 10. In FIGS. 9 and 10 a chamfered joint and apecked joint is shown respectively. In this regard, the panel membersmay be extruded to have end edges that slot together or interengage,such as through the use of complementary edges that form lap joint,slotted joint, keyway joint, wedge joint, or the like, thereby reducingthe need for a large number of support beams to connect adjacent panelmembers. It will be appreciated that in such arrangements whereby theend edges of adjacent panels engage, stake members, reinforcing rods orthe like may be employed to provide additional structural support to thepanels, by inserting such stake members through the channels 18 formedin the panel members 10.

One particular arrangement for connecting adjacent panels 10 together isshown in FIG. 17. In this embodiment of the present invention the panelmembers 10 are formed to have a male mating member 50 formed along oneedge thereof, and a corresponding female mating member 52 formed alongan opposing edge thereof. The male mating member 50 is configured to bereceived within the female mating member 52 of an adjacent panel memberto form a secure join 53. The join 53 may be sufficiently water tight ormay have seals provided therein to facilitate use of the panel members10 in a levee wall application, as will be discussed in more detailbelow.

In the structure 20 of FIG. 5, in order to form a corner, the panelmembers 10 may be easily fitted to channels formed in a corner post 30in the manner as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. In FIG. 11, the panel members10 are configured with a rebate at the edges thereof in the mannerdescribed above in relation to FIG. 6. It will be appreciated that avariety of systems may be employed for connecting panel members 10through 90° that fall within the spirit of the present invention.

When used in a building structure such as that shown in FIG. 5, thepanel members 10 of the structure 20 present a surface to a horse or thelike, accommodated within the structure, that has a high degree ofimpact resistance and load absorption should the horse attempt to kickthe panel. This reduces the likelihood of serious injury occurring tothe horse and damage to the structure thus reducing costs associatedwith maintaining and repairing the structure.

As the panel member 10 is made from HDPE, the material yield strength isapproximately 25 Mpa and whilst exceeding the yield strength of thematerial may result in some material deformation of the panel member,this typically manifests as bruising, whitening or denting of thematerial in the vicinity of the load application. Thus, even when theyield strength of the panel has been exceeded, there is a low likelihoodof panel fracture or shattering as is commonly the case with more rigidand conventional building materials.

Whilst the panel members 10 of the present invention have a specificapplication for impact resistant wall surfaces as described above, dueto the structure and nature of the panel members 10, they are alsoapplicable for use in a variety of alternative applications.

One alternative application is shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. In thisapplication, the panel members 10 are assembled to form a water wall 30.A water wall 30 is a wall or structure capable of holding and/or storingwater within the panels 10. As such, the hollow nature of the panels 10and the multiple channels provided in the panels 10 are utilised toprovide conduits to receive and direct the flow of water within the wall30.

The panels 10 are assembled together in the manner described previouslysuch that they abut together and are connected between vertical supports34. The vertical supports 34 are in the form of I-beams; however othersupport members are also envisaged.

The upper and lower ends of each panel is sealed by a cap member 32 asshown. The cap member 32 is configured to fit over the ends of thechannels 18 of the panel members to provide a seal thereon. The capmembers 32 also provide a common fluid rail connecting each of thechannels 18 at a lower and an upper region thereof to facilitate flow ofwater between adjacent panel members 10 and between adjacent channels 18in each panel member 10. It will be appreciated that additionalmaterials such as lip seals, sealing beads, and the like may be employedto seal the joints between panels.

Each cap member 32 has a hole or recess 31 formed at an end thereof toreceive a connector 33 that provides a sealed connection with a recess10 on an adjacent cap member 32. In this regard, an end panel 10 of thewall 30 may be connected to a water source, such as a stormwater drainor water connection system to receive water after which it isdistributed between the panel members 10 of the wall system 30 via theinterconnecting cap members 32.

In the embodiment as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the wall 30 may form adividing wall or fence on a property or may be employed within astructure of a building, such as a shed, house or the like, and as suchthe surface of the walls may be coloured for aesthetic purposes.

Referring to FIGS. 15 and 16, yet another embodiment of the presentinvention is shown. In this embodiment, the panel members 10 of thepresent invention are employed to form a retaining wall 40. Once again,for reasons of clarity, the panel members 10 are shown as a singlemember. However, it will be appreciated that the panel member 10 asdepicted may comprise a plurality of panel members 10 arranged inabutting fashion, as is clearly described in the body of the presentdescription.

The retaining wall 40 comprises a plurality of supports 44, such asI-beams between which individual panel members 10 are supported in themanner as shown in relation to FIGS. 6 and 7. The panel members 10 eachhave a cap member 42 that fits over an upper region thereof to form anupper surface of the wall 40. The cap members 42 between adjacent panelmembers 10 interconnect to form a continuous upper surface of the wall40.

To provide additional structural support to the wall 40, one or morestake members 46 may be inserted through the channels 18 of the panelsto project beyond the lower surface of the panels to engage with aground surface. The number of stake members 46 used to support the wall40 can be adjusted depending upon the specific application of the wall40 and the forces that the wall may experience in use.

Referring to FIGS. 18-20, a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention is disclosed.

In FIG. 18, panel member 110 is depicted. Panel member 110 is in theform of a relatively narrow panel member of approximately 150 mm inwidth and having a configuration substantially as shown and described inrelation to FIG. 2. The panel member 110 comprises two channels 118 thatextend along the length or height of the panel member 110, separated bya rib member 116, such that the panel member 110 is a two-channel panelmember. The panel member includes a front face 114 and a rear face 112that present a corrugated or undulating surface, in the manner aspreviously described.

Formed along opposing ends or longitudinal edges of the panel member 110is an end member 120 having a male connector 150 and an end member 122having a female connector 152, which are depicted more clearly in FIG.19. The male connector member 152 is in the form of a projection thatprojects beyond a longitudinal edge of the panel member 110 and hasridges 151 formed along opposing lateral sides thereof. The femaleconnector 152 is in the form of a recess formed along the opposinglongitudinal edge of the panel member 110. The depth of the recess ofthe female connector 152 is substantially equivalent to the depth of themale connector member 150 to receive the male connector member 150therein. The female connector 152 has a narrow opening formed by a pairof flange members 153. An extended lateral recess 154 is formedimmediately behind the flange members 153. The narrow opening formed bythe flange members is sufficient to receive the leading edge of the maleconnector member 150 when a male connector member 150 of an adjacentpanel member 110 is inserted into the female connector 152. However, dueto the presence of the ridges 151 on opposing sides of the maleconnector member 150 the flange members 153 contact the ridges 151 toprevent further sliding of the male connector member 150 into the femaleconnector 152. Due to the inherent flexibility and resilient nature ofthe materials of the panel member 110, as discussed previously, byapplying pressure to the panel member 110 the male connector member 150can be forced into the female connector with the flange members 153flexing to permit the ridges 151 to enter into the female connector, tocreate a snap fitting of adjacent panels together. The degree of forcerequired to fit adjacent panel members 110 together in this way willlargely be determined by the amount the size of the ridges 151 formedabove the surfaces of the male connector member 150. In this regard, thedegree of force should be sufficient to ensure a flush fit betweenadjacent panel members 10.

Referring to FIG. 20, an alternative form of the male connector member150 is shown. In this embodiment the male connector member 150 is formedwith a pair of wing projections 155 rather than ridges 151. The wingprojections 155 are shaped and configured to be received within theextended lateral recess 154 to ensure a more secure connection betweenadjacent panel members 110. It will be appreciated that in order to forma wall 105 structure by fitting adjacent panel members 110 having themale connector member 150 of FIG. 20, panel members 110 are slidinglyassembled either vertically, as shown in FIG. 22, or horizontally, asshown in FIG. 23. It will be appreciated that the differentconfigurations of the male connector member 150 as shown in FIGS. 19 and20 provide for either snap fitting or sliding fitting of adjacent panelmembers 110, depending upon the required application.

A wall structure 105 employing multiple panel members 110 is shown inFIGS. 21-24. As is clear, the wall structure 105 provides a degree ofinherent flexibility between panel members 110, however, each individualpanel members 110 are sealingly connected to an adjacent panel memberthrough the unique male-female connection. Thus, the wall structure 105formed by connecting the panel members 110 provides for a internalsurface 114 which is sealed and isolated from the external surface 112to provide a barrier for water, air and the like to pass through thewall structure 105. It will be appreciated that a silicone sealant mayalso be applied along the joins between the adjacent panels 110, ifrequired.

As depicted in FIGS. 22 and 23, the wall structure 105 can be formedwith either the panel members 110 extending vertically or horizontally.Such a wall structure can be equally applied to a structure such as ahorse stable 20 as depicted in FIG. 5, by merely assembling theindividual panel members 110 together and fitting them within channelledsupports extending along the base and the top of the wall structure 5.If further structural support is required, one or more reinforcing rodsmay be passed through one or more channels 118 in the panel members 110,as required.

It will be appreciated that due to the interlocking nature of the panelmembers 10, 110 and the complimentary size and shape of the panelmembers 10, 110, the wall structure 5, 105 can be used for a variety ofpurposes other than as a building wall or a retaining wall. In thisregard, the wall structure could be assembled as a temporary wall forlarge events such as concerts, sporting events, and the like, where theease or erecting and dismantling the wall offers significant advantages.Further, the wall may be used as a levee bank or wall for flood regions,where the interlocking nature of the panel members provides a sealedwall that prevents water from passing therethrough. In this regard, thewall may be supported solely by stake members to extend along aperimeter of a region to be protected.

Due to the hollow nature of the panel members 10, 110, the wallstructure created therefrom can also enable the panel members 10, 110 tobe filed with concrete, cement, sand, soil and other types of materialto provide additional support and structure to the wall. The open endsof the channels may also be filled with soil for use as planter boxesand the like, to add additional functionality to a buildingconstruction.

It will be appreciated that the simple structure of the panel members 10of the present invention enable them to be employed in a variety ofsituations and applications where temporary or permanent wall structuresare required. As the panel members can be readily manufactured to snuglyfit together in a sealed arrangement and are hollow, they have specificapplication to applications associated with handling water and otherfluid environments.

Throughout the specification and claims the word “comprise” and itsderivatives are intended to have an inclusive rather than exclusivemeaning unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requiresotherwise. That is, the word “comprise” and its derivatives will betaken to indicate the inclusion of not only the listed components, stepsor features that it directly references, but also other components,steps or features not specifically listed, unless the contrary isexpressly stated or the context requires otherwise.

Orientational terms used in the specification and claims such asvertical, horizontal, top, bottom, upper and lower are to be interpretedas relational and are based on the premise that the component, item,article, apparatus, device or instrument will usually be considered in aparticular orientation, typically with the panel member uppermost.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that manymodifications and variations may be made to the methods of the inventiondescribed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

1. A panel member for a wall structure comprising: a first surface; asecond surface spaced from said first surface; at least one rib memberextending between said first surface and said second surface; a firstend member and a second end member, each of said first end member andsaid second end member extending between said first surface and saidsecond surface substantially parallel with the at least one rib memberso as to form at least two channels between said first surface and saidsecond surface; wherein the first end member has a male connector memberextending therefrom and the second end member has a female connectorformed therein, the male connector member and the female connector beingconfigured to be complementary such that the male connector member ofthe panel member is able to be received within a female connector of anadjacent panel member to facilitate connection of adjacent panel membersto form said wall structure.
 2. A panel member according to claim 1,wherein the male connector member and the female connector extendsubstantially longitudinally along a length of the first end member andthe second end member.
 3. A panel member according to claim 1, whereinthe male connector member is configured so as to be inserted into saidfemale connector so as to engage therewith.
 4. A panel member accordingto claim 3, wherein the male connector member comprises at least oneridge member that projects laterally from at least one side thereof, theat least one ridge member being configured to create an interference fitwith an opening of the female connector to facilitate engagementtherebetween.
 5. A panel member according to claim 4, wherein theengagement created between the opening of the female connector and theridge member of the male connector member substantially preventswithdrawal of the male connector member from the female connector uponthe application of a lateral removal force applied transverse to thelongitudinal length of the panel members.
 6. A panel member according toclaim 3, wherein the male connector member comprises at least one wingmember that projects laterally from at least one side thereof, the atleast one ring member being configured to create an interference fitwith an opening of the female connector to facilitate engagementtherebetween.
 7. A panel member according to claim 6, wherein the atleast one wing member is slidingly received within the opening of thefemale connector, such that the engagement between the at least one wingmember and the opening of the female connector substantially preventswithdrawal of the male connector member from the female connector uponthe application of a lateral removal force applied transverse to thelongitudinal length of the panel members.
 8. A panel member according toclaim 1, wherein the first and second surfaces are substantially planarand have a corrugation formed thereon defining a series ofinterconnected peaks and troughs.
 9. A panel member according to claim1, wherein the panel member is made from an extrusion process.
 10. Apanel member according to claim 9, wherein the panel is made from highdensity polyethylene (HPDE).
 11. A panel member according to claim 1,wherein two channels are formed between the first surface and the secondsurface.
 12. A panel member according to claim 1, wherein the wallstructure forms part of a building structure.
 13. A panel memberaccording to claim 1, wherein the wall structure is a retaining wall.14. A panel member according to claim 1, wherein the wall structure is awater wall capable of receiving and retaining water in the at least twochannels.
 15. A panel member according to claim 14, wherein the waterwall comprises a plurality of panel members fluidly interconnected tofacilitate flow of water between the at least two channels of adjacentpanel members.
 16. A panel member according to claim 15, wherein one ormore of the panel members of the water wall is configured to receivewater from a water source.
 17. A panel member according to claim 16,wherein the water source is a rainwater or wastewater collectionreservoir.
 18. A panel member for a building structure comprising: afirst substantially planar surface; a second substantially planarsurface; and a plurality of longitudinal ribs extending between thefirst and second substantially planar surfaces to form a plurality oflongitudinally extending channels therebetween; wherein the first andsecond substantially planar surfaces and the plurality of longitudinalribs are formed integrally by an extrusion process.
 19. A panel memberaccording to claim 1, wherein said first and second substantially planarsurfaces have a corrugation formed thereon defining a series ofinterconnected peaks and troughs across the surfaces thereof.
 20. Apanel member according to claim 2, wherein the ribs extend in a parallelmanner across a width of the first and second planar surfaces and thecorrugation formed on the surface of the first and second planarsurfaces extends perpendicular with respect to the ribs.
 21. A panelmember according to claim 1, wherein each channel has a substantiallyrectangular cross section formed between adjacent ribs and opposinginner surfaces of the first and second substantially planar surfaces.22. A panel member according to claim 4, wherein each channel extendsbetween an upper end and a lower end of the panel member.
 23. A panelmember according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of longitudinallyextending channels extend between opposing lateral edges of the panelmember.
 24. A panel member according to claim 5, wherein the opposinglateral edges of the panel member are configured to facilitateengagement or connection with a corresponding lateral edge of anadjacent panel member.
 25. A panel member according to claim 7, whereinthe opposing lateral edges of the panel member are configured tofacilitate interengagement between adjacent panel members to form a wallstructure.
 26. A panel member according to claim 7, wherein the wallstructure forms part of a building structure.
 27. A panel memberaccording to claim 7, wherein the wall structure is a retaining wall.28. A panel member according to claim 7, wherein the wall structure is awater wall capable of receiving and retaining water.
 29. A panel memberaccording to claim 11, wherein the water wall comprises a plurality ofpanel members fluidly interconnected to facilitate flow of water betweenpanel members.
 30. A panel member according to claim 12, wherein one ormore of the panel members of the water wall is configured to receivewater from a water source.
 31. A panel member according to claim 13,wherein the water source is a rainwater or wastewater collectionreservoir.
 32. A panel member according to claim 1, wherein the panel ismade from high density polyethylene (HPDE).
 33. A wall structurecomprising at least two of the panel members according to claim 1.